Monday, September 26, 2016

The summer share
season is ending just as the first real feeling of fall-like weather descends
on the Bluegrass. The partnership we have with you is a very important part of
our farming business. You made not only the financial commitment last spring
that helped us get started this season, but also the commitment to secure your
share each week and nourish your family with wholesome, organic produce all
summer. We are committed to producing the foods, delivering them on time, and
educating you about them. Whether you sign up for the fall season share, or
come to the market or both, we have lots of great crops growing in the fields,
and we hope to serve you well into the winter, if not all year. (We will be at
markets in Lexington and Cincinnati all year!)

We strive to send a
good mix of items each week for balanced nutrition as much as for good flavors.
Given the vagaries of the weather, our plant-production practices, and harvest-
and packing-labor demands, it can be quite challenging to hit the high
standards we set for ourselves each season. We have a philosophy of always
giving you a little more than the mathematical minimum of what you paid for.
When the lettuces seemed to all ripen at the same time, you got extra. The
timing of the sweet corn and berry harvests, for example, can make the shares
different each day of the week, but we keep track to be sure everyone gets
their fair share.

We will soon be
asking you to respond to a survey about this season's experience. The feedback
from you will guide our decision making this winter to prepare for next year.
We review the surveys carefully, take all comments into consideration and look
for trends. Constructive criticism is well received. The occasional jabs are
hard to not take personally, and positive comments are exhilarating and
motivational, much like conversations at the market.

On the Farm

With one of the
top-10 wettest Augusts and a top-10 driest September on the books, our
well-laid plans were challenged, to say the least. The extended hot-dry weather
pattern has required us to irrigate fields just so we can work the ground and
plant the plants or seeds. It has been difficult to dig potatoes and sweet
potatoes with the ground so hard. The cooler weather this week makes us and the
plants feel better, and lest we not forget, first frost is just a few weeks
away. That being said, the early Fall CSA shares will still have tomatoes and
other summer-season goodies for the first few weeks. We begin the baby-ginger
harvest in October, so look for it in your fall share, or at the market, if the
harvest is bountiful.

The farm tours and
tour/dinners we offered this year have been well received by those who
participated. Some have come back several times to see the progression of the
season. Hosting the tours gave us an opportunity to demonstrate the biological
principles our farming systems are built on in a way that our guests can see,
feel and remember.

Each tour has a
theme and is scripted to ensure we stay on target and on time. On the Good Bug:
Bad Bug tour, entomologist Dr. Ric Bessin, from UK, explained insect life
cycles, interactions between good guys and bad guys, and the harmful effects of
toxic pesticides on these ecosystems. He not only confirmed we are doing a
great job of managing the habitat, but it was like a National Geographic
movie coming to life for those on the tour. Having professional
scientists like Dr. Bessin and Dr. Rob Paratley, our UK Department of Forestry
expert on the tree tour, elevated the conversation exponentially. Our plans are
to build on what we learned as hosts this year and provide an even richer
experience next year.

We will round out
this year's tours in October with a focus on the role livestock play on the
farm on October 6 and on turkeys for the Chef John Foster dinner and farm tour
on October 18. (Find details about these tours at
elmwoodstockfarm.com/farmtours.)

Behind the Scenes

We are fortunate to
have hired some outstanding, enthusiastic and intelligent young people to join
us in providing good food, fun markets and educational opportunities. I hope
you have met them at one of the markets, but they also spend a lot of time
compiling production and sales data, editing these newsletters and the website,
initiating the e-newsletter, pulling restaurant and other special orders
together, and countless other tasks required for us to do what we do. There is
a lot of responsibility that goes with employing such talented individuals—now
we know how Coach Calipari must feel—but the benefits and rewards they bring to
us, and you, by extension, are off the charts.

Thanks, again,
for your continued support as CSA shareholders. You are our prime, number-one
customers. If we have limited quantity of something, it goes into your shares,
not to the market. (Regular farmers-market egg customers are wishing they
had signed up for an egg share right now.) There is a tremendous amount of
produce yet to come out of the fields this year, while next year’s production
is already in the works. All of us at Elmwood Stock Farm are working diligently
to bring you the best of the best in one form or another. Let us know what you
think, and invite your friends and family to invest in their health by joining
our CSA. Remember: Food is Medicine! —Mac Stone

Slice each eggplant in
half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh, making sure to keep outer skin of eggplants
intact. Transfer flesh to a board and chop; set aside. Sprinkle inside of
eggplants with sea salt and turn them over; leave them alone for 30 minutes.

Stuff eggplant skins
with the cooked vegetables and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place stuffed
eggplants in an oven dish, and drizzle with remaining oil. Pour a little water
in bottom of dish and bake in preheated oven, 45 to 50 minutes, until nicely
colored on top.

Cream of Fresh
Tomato Soup, adapted from The Food Network

Assuming cool days are on the horizon, this soup would be
nice served with crusty local bread.

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over
medium-low heat. Add onions and carrots, and sauté for about 10 minutes, until
very tender. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, sugar, tomato
paste, basil, stock, salt and pepper, and stir well. Bring soup to a boil,
lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are
very tender.

Add the cream to the soup, and process it through a food
mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. (Use an immersion
blender or regular blender if you don’t have a food mill.) Reheat soup over low
heat, just until hot, and serve with julienned basil leaves.

Roasted Bell
Peppers, adapted from Tori Avey

Many recipes call for roasted, peeled, seeded bell
peppers like the ones you find packed in oil in a jar at the grocery store.
This is an easy way to make your own.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Lay peppers on their sides
on the foil. Roast for 40 minutes, flipping peppers halfway through. The skin
should be charred and soft, and the peppers should look slightly collapsed.

Place the peppers on a cutting board with a large bowl
upside down over them to trap the steam inside. Steam for 15 minutes.

Slice the pepper vertically from top to bottom and split
the pepper open so it becomes one long strip. Pull the stem and clump of seeds
from the top of the pepper. Rinse or use a towel to wipe off loose seeds that
remain inside the pepper. Peel off the charred skin--you should be able to pull
this off easily with your fingers. Slice the peppers into strips.

Put them in a jar and cover them with olive oil to
keep in the refrigerator for a few days.

We make little mention about our
animals in this produce share newsletter, but it is important to address the
idea that cattle are a valuable resource at Elmwood Stock Farm. They not only
convert solar energy into wholesome meat, they are a valuable tool in our vegetable-production
toolbox. From nutrient cycling to weed eaters, the services they perform keep
us from having to do it.

The momma cows grew up here, so they
know every nook and cranny of the farm, probably better than we do. And there
is no better place than the Central Bluegrass region to raise them. The hilly
lands on the farm are maintained as permanent pasture, never to see a plow,
because the erosion potential is too high. This wisdom has been handed down for
generations, meaning some fields look just as they did decades ago. There is a
large portion of Elmwood Stock Farm in pasture, and we are glad to have it.

To our farm-tour guests, these seem
like idle grassy areas. These areas are far from idle, though. The roots of the
plants that grow there year-round hold the soil firmly in place. These plants
also convert solar energy into complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and
minerals though the photosynthesis process. The soils of the Inner Bluegrass
have a balance of nutrients particularly beneficial to livestock that consume
the forages grown on them. That’s why the horse industry developed in this
region.

Our forefathers went into the cattle
business, and the animals in the herd we have today are the offspring of those
that came before them. For decades, the best young females have been kept back
as replacement heifers, based on their conformation, disposition, and a whole
host of intangibles of how their momma, grandmomma and daddy performed: good
mothering, good milker, strong bone structure, and the ability to perform well
in a grass-based system, to name a few.

Much is known about each individual
cow; many stories can be told. They all have numbers, have their place in the
pecking order, have unique quirks, yet collectively, they are managed as a
herd. In the early days, Elmwood Stock Farm built a reputation for selling
quality bulls to nearby farms as herd sires. Since the bull represents 50
percent of the genetics of a commercial cowherd, we are proud to have had a
positive impact on other farms.

These are beasts, some well over a
thousand pounds, that eat a lot. We have evolved in our thinking on how best to
feed them. First, they are divided into groups based on their stage of life,
which translates into their required plane of nutrition and annual reproductive
cycles. Second, we move each group from pasture to pasture as they graze down
the forage available to them.

Nursing and pregnant mothers get
moved to fresh grass every few days. We do this with temporary electric fence
systems that are a quick and easy way to divide up a field. The decision on
where the fence goes is dependent on how big the paddock needs to be for two to
three days of grazing, which is dependent on how tall, thick and lush the grass
is. When the calves are weaned at 7 or 8 months, they go off as a group of
their own and are given their own rotation of fresh forage every few days. As
the weanlings mature, we often have several groups based on size and forage
availability. The mature bulls hang out in lush, expansive bull lots,
impatiently waiting the next breeding season.

There is a shared understanding
within the herds as to how this rotation thing works. The cows are keenly aware
when the field they are in is eaten down or picked over. When they hear the
Kubota coming, even before they can see it, they begin moving toward the place
they think access to their next paddock will be gained. We generally have the
next couple of paddocks laid out ahead of time, so when it is time to move, it
is as simple as rolling up the wire on a spool and allowing the group to flow
into the fresh field. We gauge how aggressively they begin eating to see if we
made them wait too long or, if they're not hungry, not long enough. This is a
balancing act, as we want them to stay long enough to eat more weeds, but we do
not want to compromise their nutrient intake. Either way, there is no need to
herd the herd; they freely move on their own.

So, how does all this impact your vegetable
share? Winter hay feeding moves the nutrients to where they are most
beneficial—next year's vegetable fields. The herd gleans the produce from the
crop fields in the fall and destroy any weeds there that they do not eat.If you get a bunch of cattle farmers together,
the phrase “workin’ cattle” means herding them into corral to give them shots
and stuff. At Elmwood Stock Farm, it means they are doing work to help us grow
vegetables and convert forage into food. —Mac Stone

In Your Share

Green Beans

Heirloom Corn Meal

Cucumber

Kale Greens

Pea Shoots

Bell Pepper

Sweet Potatoes

Tomatoes

Garlic

Recipes

Coconut
Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew, Ambitious Kitchen

1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1” cubes

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. fresh grated ginger

½ T. curry powder

¼ tsp. turmeric

¼ tsp. salt, plus more to taste

1¾ c. vegetable broth

¾ c. green lentils

¼ c. canned coconut milk

⅛ tsp. cinnamon

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add
onion, carrot and half of the diced sweet potatoes. Sauté until the onions
begin to soften and turn translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger,
curry powder, turmeric and salt. Sauté for 2 minutes longer, stirring
frequently.Add broth and lentils, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot,
reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 30-45 minutes or until lentils are
tender.While stew is simmering, make the coconut-sweet potato broth: Place a
medium pot over high heat and fill with water, bring water to a boil and add
remaining sweet potatoes. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook
for about 8 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender and nearly falling apart.
Once tender, drain water from sweet potatoes, and place them in a food
processor. Add coconut milk and cinnamon, and purée until it forms a somewhat
smooth consistency. Next add the sweet potato coconut purée to the stew, and
continue to cook to thicken broth a bit.The stew is done when all of the lentils are tender and
the broth has thickened. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Scoop
into bowls, and garnish with Greek yogurt, if desired.

Kale-sadilla, adapted from Simply Recipes

Serve this Mexican-inspired meal with a cucumber, pepper
and tomato salsa.

1 T. olive oil

⅓ c. finely chopped bell pepper

⅓ c. finely chopped onion

pinch of ground cumin

1½ c. thinly sliced kale (center rib removed before
slicing)

¼ tsp. butter

¾ c. grated mild cheddar

2 tortillas

Sauté pepper and onion in olive oil over medium-high heat
until softened, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with ground cumin. Add kale, and toss
to combine. Cook 1 minute more on medium-high, then turn heat to low and cover
the pan. Cook for 2 more minutes, until kale is cooked through and softened.
Remove from heat.Heat a large cast-iron pan on medium-high to high heat. Spread butter over
the bottom of the pan. Place a flour tortilla in the pan, and heat until you
see bubbles of air pockets starting to form. Flip the tortilla over, and lower
the heat to medium. Sprinkle tortilla with half of the cheese. Place a couple
scoops of the kale mixture on one half of the tortilla. Fold the other half of
the tortilla over the side with the kale. Press down with a spatula. When the
cheese on one side has melted, flip the tortilla over to the other side. When
the cheese on that side has melted, remove to a cutting board and repeat with
the other tortilla and the remaining cheese and filling.Cut the kale-sadilla into
thirds and serve.

In a large skillet, preheat oil over medium heat. Add the
sweet potatoes and cumin. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until sweet potatoes are seared
on all sides.Add chopped kale to the pot and stir until it is wilted. Then add in diced
tomatoes and chickpeas and stir until combined.Then, add the uncooked rice. Pour the chicken broth over
the skillet and stir until completely combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover pan
with a lid and bring to a simmer.Cook for 20-25 minutes, until rice is fluffy and the
chicken broth is mostly absorbed.You may need to stir one or two times throughout the
cooking so that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.Serve immediately.

As the first few cool mornings have welcomed us to fall, we are grateful,
especially after such a long, hot, wet summer growing season. Now it is time to
think about all the fun foods that coincide with the fabulous fall foliage.
Some of the crops were planted long ago, others more recently, and some are
still in the seed packets. Lest we not forget, Old Man Winter lays in wait, so
now is the time to secure your share of the fantastic flavors, colors and
nutrient-dense foods still to come this year.

Most commonly, people think of pumpkins, gourds and dry corn fodder shocks
for decorations when thinking of fall. We think about butternut and spaghetti
squash, sweet potatoes, great greens, and the return of the lettuces. Garlic is
hanging in the barn to be taken down and cleaned, as needed. The various
varieties of winter squash, with their kaleidoscope of colors, were planted
back in July with the intent for them to mature during the cooler weather of
September and October. The late fall harvest is beneficial in two ways. The
fruits tend to have more flavor when they ripen in cool, dry weather, and their
hard shells allow them to be stored well into winter, providing excellent
nutrition for several months after harvest.

Many colors of fall exist underground, as well. Purple, red, gold and
white potatoes are yet to be dug. We began their harvest a few weeks back, so
we have some idea of what to expect with each digging. The purple, red and
orange sweet potatoes lay in wait. The sweet-potato slips were planted in June,
the vines covered the field by August, and then the rains helped the little
weeds we missed with the cultivators turn into monstrosities scattered
throughout the field. But we have no idea what we will find to harvest until
later this week, when we hand-dig a few test plants. Most crops, we can kind of
tell how they are performing, but sweet potatoes is more like fishing: You are
not sure what you will find until they come to the surface.

Many other underground treasures await us, as well. Late-planted beets of
many colors prefer the cool weather, and with less weed pressure, the tops will
be lush and scrumptious. We also intend to harvest many types of winter
radishes, be they Spanish black, white daikons or—everyone’s favorite—the
watermelon radish. These, too, are long keepers, like the winter squash,
although the radishes need to be kept under refrigeration. Once they have sized
up, we will begin to harvest them and then bring them all into the packing shed
coolers before the ground freezes.

But the most beautiful color of all for fall is green. Kales, lettuces,
broccoli, cabbages. As we said in the opening of the season newsletter back in
May, we make no apologies for providing lots of greens. They are arguably the
most powerful food you can consume. The cooler weather is more to their liking
and actually improves not only their taste but their nutrient density, as well.

Come join us on one of our farm tours, so you can get a better feel for
how all this comes together for us to provide for you and your families. The
colors of fall will soon be all around us, as well as in your kitchen.—Mac Stone

In Your Share

Beets

Celery

Cucumber

Garlic

Fresh Herb: Basil

Onions

Bell Pepper

Potatoes

Spaghetti Squash

Tomatoes

Rhubarb

Recipes

Stuffed Spaghetti Squash with
Tomato and Ground Beef, adapted
from The Cookie Writer

1 spaghetti squash

1 lb. ground beef

half a green pepper, diced

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 portobello mushroom, halved and sliced

2 lb. tomatoes, diced

salt & pepper

½ tsp. fresh thyme

1 tsp. fresh oregano

¼ tsp. cayenne

Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stab a knife into
the spaghetti squash randomly about half a dozen times to allow steam to
release. Place on a baking sheet, and cook 30-40 minutes, or until a knife can
pierce the skin easily. Slice in half and allow to cool. Remove seeds with a
spoon. Run a fork along the inside of the squash to create the “spaghetti”
strands.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add
the beef and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic and
mushrooms. Cook until meat is browned. Mix in green pepper, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with thyme, oregano and cayenne. Reduce heat, and simmer for 10
minutes.

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees F. Add the sauce on
top of your prepared squash halves. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Celery
Soda, adapted from Food52

If you’re wondering
what to do with all of those celery leaves, this could be the most creative use
we’ve yet to come across.

Simple
Syrup: Soda:

½ c. packed celery leaves 1 oz. celery simple syrup

1 c. sugar 1 oz. fresh lime juice

1 c. water 8 oz. sparkling water

Simple
Syrup:

Simmer all syrup ingredients until sugar dissolves. Strain celery
leaves from syrup and discard. Let syrup cool. (This will keep in a closed
container in the fridge for 1 month.)

Soda:

Combine soda ingredients, and serve immediately over ice.

Farro
and Cucumber Salad, adapted from Bon Appetit

Substitute farro and
caraway seeds with ingredients on your shelf such as rice, quinoa, or sunflower
seeds.

1 c. farro

salt & pepper

2 c. 1-inch pieces pumpernickel bread

5 T. olive oil, divided

1 t. caraway seeds

1 t. white wine vinegar

1 t. Dijon mustard

½ t. honey

1 large cucumber, cut into 1-inch pieces

4 baby beets, very thinly sliced

¼ c. dill sprigs

¼ c. parsley leaves

Cook farro in a medium pot of boiling salted water until
tender but still al dente, 30–40 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°. Toss bread with 2
tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet, squeezing bread to help it absorb
oil; season with salt and pepper. Toast until crisp but not hard, 10–15
minutes. Let cool.

Toast caraway seeds in a dry small skillet over medium
heat, tossing, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Coarsely chop caraway seeds.
Whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, and chopped caraway seeds in a small bowl.
Gradually whisk in remaining 3 tablespoons oil; season vinaigrette with salt
and pepper.

Toss cucumbers, beets, dill, parsley, farro, croutons,
and dressing in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Farro can be cooked 3 days ahead. Vinaigrette
can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Conservation as the Cornerstone

We speak often about crop rotation and organic
principles around plant production in these newsletters, yet recently we
realized we have not gone into much detail about conservation measures we
employ to be good stewards of the land. We are blessed with magnificent soil
here at Elmwood Stock Farm, and we do everything we can to improve it as we
convert solar energy into nutritious foods for you and, by extension, human
energy.

In our animal- and crop-rotation plan, each acre of
land has its assigned purpose. Every eight years, we plow down alfalfa hay
fields and plant them in our rows of little vegetable seeds or transplanted
seedlings. This is obviously disrupting to the plants, insects, microbes and
aggregate soil particles that have called it home for so many years. We most
often use a moldboard plow, which basically undercuts the field about 8 inches
deep and flips it upside down. The nutrients released from the now-decomposing
plants and all the related biota immediately start re-colonizing the underground
rhizosphere to give a good start to the little plants that we're about to put
into the soil.

Good soil conservation dictates that the ground is
always worked on the contours of the slope of the field. For the initial
tillage, we use a five-bottom 16-inch plow. This leaves the field rough, which
helps spring rains infiltrate easily, reducing the risk of erosion as long as
the rows are perpendicular to the slope. If one were to plow up and down the
slope, the lower area between the humps of each plowshare would act like a
gutter and erode a gully every 16 inches, effectively washing away tons of topsoil.
These same dips between the plowshare humps act like little berms that hold
water until it has time to infiltrate the soil.

Secondary tillage to smooth the surface and prepare
a seed bed is also done on the contour for the same reason. This is not as easy
as it sounds, given the undulating hills and slopes of the topography of the
Bluegrass Region. Working soils when too wet can ruin the structure of the
soil, and tillage does not work well when too dry. A “good farmer” is steadfast
in limiting erosion while prepping the fields in a timely fashion for spring
planting.

Planting on the contours is equally important,
whether the plants are growing on bare ground or, even more importantly, in
strips of plastic mulch. Since the plastic sheds rainwater, it is important to
encourage the water not to collect and run down a slope, so we use the
raised-bed berms of plastic to hold the water in place to infiltrate and
nourish the plant roots underneath. Bare-ground plantings get cultivated
several times a year, which loosens the soil, making it at risk of erosion
which is why contour farming is so critical.

Understanding individual fields on a farm means
becoming familiar with the lay of the land. Fields that require little
consideration to all of this are said to lay well. Some fields have variable
slope patterns and/or variable soil types, which require more attention to
detail. Sometimes, we will have several row patterns in the same field. We
might also leave a portion of the field in sod, where the water naturally
drains away, letting the established plants and their roots hold the soil in
place. These are called sod waterways; you should see them in some fields as
you drive through the countryside.

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS), which used to be called the Soil Conservation Service, has funds
available to incentivize farmers to employ conservation measures on their
farms. Wind breaks save lots of soil loss in the Great Plains and are,
therefore, a good investment in national food security. In our area, programs
are available to offset the cost of various erosion-control measures, plant
beneficial-insect habitat, employ cover-cropping systems and more. These
investments in stabilizing the soil, for the good of society, date back to the
Dust Bowl years. What a wakeup call that was.

Here at Elmwood Stock Farm, we have six, going on
seven, generations of good farming techniques bred into our heritage. Our few
inches of topsoil are our livelihood. First and foremost, we do everything we
can to keep it in place. Building the
organic matter, increasing the diversity of microbes that develop structure
within the soil particles, rotating crops with differing types of root
structures, and long rest periods in hay and pasture are other tools we have to
maintain, if not build, soil. This gets to the art of farming. In The Gift of Good Land, Wendell Berry says: “We have neglected the truth that a good farmer is a
craftsman of the highest order, a kind of artist.” In a past conversation with
Wendell, he referred to us as good farmers, and for that we
are very proud. —Mac Stone

In Your Share

Green Beans

Collard Greens

Sweet Corn

Cucumber

Fresh Herb: Sage

Onions

Bell Pepper

Potatoes

Delicata Squash

Tomatoes

Garlic

Recipes

Orzo with Kale and Roasted
Tomatoes, adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Serve
this warm as a main dish or cold as a side salad.

12 Roma tomatoes, cut into 1-in. pieces

½ tsp. sugar

½ tsp. salt, plus more to taste

1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves thinly
sliced

¼ c. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

3 c. dry orzo

2 oz. Parmesan cheese, shaved or grated

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place tomatoes on a
rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly oiled. Sprinkle with sugar
and salt. Roast 1 ½ to 2 hours, until tomatoes are dried, wilted and slightly
dark at the edges.

Prepare orzo according to package directions.

Heat olive oil in a small pan over medium-low. Add
garlic and stir until just fragrant, then turn off the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, massage kale with salt for 30
seconds or so to tenderize. Add the cooked orzo and garlic oil. Stir and taste.
Add salt to your preference. Very gently stir in the tomatoes and most of the
Parmesan. Top with the rest of the Parmesan and serve.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add the green beans,
and cook 3 minutes, until crisp tender. Drain.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add
garlic, onion, ginger and peppers. Sauté 2 minutes on medium-low until
fragrant. Add chili paste and stir. Add squash and ½ cup water, cover, and
steam until squash is medium-tender, about 4 minutes. Add coconut milk and a
little salt. Bring to a very gentle simmer and immediately turn to low. Add
beans. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and the
sauce is slightly thickened. Don’t allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil
or it will curdle. Serve topped with mustard seeds.

Lemon-Cucumber
Cake, adapted from Veggie Desserts

Cake: Icing:

half a large cucumber ⅓ c. butter, softened

zest and juice of half a lemon 1 ½ c.
powdered sugar

⅔ c. butter, softened 1
T. gin or lemon juice

¾ c. granulated sugar

1½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease
9-inch cake pan.Wash and leave the skin on the cucumber and de-seed it by
cutting it in half lengthways and scraping the seeds out with a teaspoon. Cut
into chunks and purée until smooth. Stir in lemon
juice.In a large bowl, cream together butter, lemon zest, sugar
and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating each one
in well. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add ⅓ of the flour mixture to
butter mixture, then gently mix in ⅓ of the cucumber to butter mixture, and continue
until all ingredients are combined.Bake in the preheated oven for
30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in
the pan, and turn out on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.

Icing:

Beat butter, sugar, and gin or lemon juice together
until smooth and fluffy. Keep in the fridge until ready to ice the cake.

Push Me, Pull You

Through this
newsletter, our farm tours and our everyday conversations, we are dedicated to
informing our shareholders about the value of consuming organic foods. We
describe the biological systems at the foundation of farming systems, including
the various methods of managing nutrients, with the hope of connecting your
personal values and health with your little piece of the earth. The methods you
use to choose your food are a vital part of a sound food system. Little
decisions about what food to eat may seem trivial, but there is nothing further
from the truth.

All the stars
are lining up about the health benefits of consuming certified-organic foods.
Be it pesticide-free fruits and vegetables or grass-fed meat and milk, the
medical community is getting on board with the message. Not one Saturday
farmers market goes by without at least one customer coming to the booth
looking for these foods on the advice of his doctor. Please do not wait for a
diagnosis of the need; avoid the diagnosis altogether. Food is medicine!

The decision
to eat compromised foods because organic foods are expensive or hard to find no
longer holds water. What could be easier than picking up a box, or bag, chock-full
of wholesome, organic veggies once a week, with pastured meats and eggs right
alongside? The CSA farm-share business model works for the farm, yes, but it
also works for the consumer. If you want more of a certain item in your CSA
share or something not in your share, we are always at the farmers market on
the weekend, year round, or just a phone call away. Good Foods Co-op and Whole
Foods Market partner with local, organic growers like us to ensure you have
access, as well. They go the extra mile to source organic foods from other
organic farmers across the country to stock the shelves during our off-season,
because it is that important. Think of the millions of pounds of toxic,
synthetic fertilizers and the thousands of gallons of toxic, synthetic
pesticides that are no longer being thrust into the environment because each of
you made the decision to eat organic food.

The idea that
organic foods in the grocery are somehow less organic than local-organic is
wrong. The integrity of the regulated organic-food system is beyond reproach.
The documentation and inspection methodology is the same for them as it is us.
Trust it! The organic lettuce farms in California and the organic peach farms
in Colorado we know have developed very sophisticated methods of growing these
foods for the wholesale market, and we seek them out any time we don’t have
those items from right here at home. I doubt any of you would walk into CarMax
and ask for the cheapest car on the lot without consideration of the
dependability of the engine and drivetrain, braking systems, emissions, fuel
economy and safety features—much less comfort, sound systems and air
conditioning. Please do not be misled by “no spray” or “organic methods”
signage you might see at a farmers market. You will not see this kind of
greenwashing in retail outlets for a reason: It cannot be verified. The more
people who make food choices with the same level of scrutiny as they do vehicle
choices, the more these foods will be available.

The Organic
Association of Kentucky (OAK) is dedicated to making more organic foods
available in Kentucky by helping farmers transition their farming methods to be
compliant with organic regulations. The OAK Board of Directors (of which I'm
president) has obtained funding to train and hire consultants to go farm to
farm to make this happen. OAK’s mission also guides us to educate consumers
about the value of organic eating. These two objectives come together at Whole
Foods Market in Louisville on August 31, and in Lexington on September 7, as
OAK is the beneficiary of their “5% Day,” which means 5% of their net receipts
for those days will go to OAK. What a wonderful way to close the loop on a
local and organic food system right here in the Commonwealth.

Your support
of Elmwood Stock Farm has allowed us to create a viable food-production system.
By buying local, organic foods, your investment not only helps us, but also the
local economy, improves public health and curbs the use of toxic chemicals in
the Bluegrass Region. You are a valuable part of developing a sound food system
right here in the Bluegrass. By purchasing organic foods at retail outlets, you
are developing systematic supply chains that support organic farmers of other
crops in other regions. As you pull our products into your kitchens, we will
push more out there for you. —Mac Stone

Place balsamic vinegar in a medium, nonreactive
bowl, and whisk in olive oil in a slow stream. Add tomatoes, garlic and
measured salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional
salt and pepper as needed. Set aside at room temperature.Heat a grill pan or outdoor
grill to medium high (about 375 to 425 degrees F).Arrange the bread slices in a
single layer on a baking sheet. Very lightly brush the tops of the bread using
1 tablespoon of the oil. Flip over the bread and brush with the remaining oil.
Generously season one side only with salt and pepper.Place the bread on the grill
(reserve the baking sheet), and cook until grill marks appear and the bread is
toasted and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.Return the grilled bread to the
reserved baking sheet, seasoned-side up, and rub the seasoned sides with the
garlic clove.Divide the tomato mixture evenly among the bread slices.
Tear the basil leaves into bite-sized pieces and sprinkle over the bruschetta.
Cut bread into smaller pieces, if desired, and serve.

Potato-Leek
Soup, adapted from EveryDay with Rachael Ray

This soup
is the quintessential leek dish, and Rachael Ray’s
addition of zucchini turns it into a perfect cold soup for the summer.

1 lb. potatoes, cut into ½-in. pieces

1 bunch leeks, white and light-green parts chopped

½ lb. zucchini, sliced

salt

½ c. plain yogurt

2 T. chopped chives

In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups water, the
potatoes, leeks, zucchini and 2 teaspoons salt to a boil. Lower the heat and
simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Using a blender and working in batches, purée the
soup. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkle
of chives.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon
of the butter. Add leeks and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until
tender, 4 minutes. Stir in cucumbers, the remaining butter and 2 tablespoons of
water. Season with salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few
times, until the cucumbers are crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Uncover and cook over
moderately high heat until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Transfer to a
bowl, stir in dill, and serve.

Potato,
Tomato and Onion Casserole,
adapted from Memorie di Angelina

If you
have a terra-cotta baking dish, this is the recipe for which to use it!

½ lb. potatoes, peeled and sliced

½ lb. onion, sliced

½ lb. tomatoes, sliced, seeds discarded

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

oregano

salt & pepper

breadcrumbs

olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking dish
with a bit of olive oil.Place a layer of sliced onion in the bottom of the dish,
and drizzle with olive oil. Place a layer of potato on top of the onions, then
a layer of tomatoes. Sprinkle with garlic, oregano leaves, salt and pepper, and
drizzle with olive oil. Repeat until you use up all the ingredients—but for the
top layer, mix potatoes and tomatoes in a decorative pattern.Add enough water to fill about
halfway up the height of the ingredients. Sprinkle the top layer with
breadcrumbs, and drizzle with olive oil.Bake, on convection heat, if
possible, for about 45-60 minutes, until the ingredients are cooked, most of
the liquid evaporates and the top is nicely browned. Let cool 10-15 minutes
before serving.